THE MATCHUP: Feeling Blue

MONTREAL VS. TORONTO
STADE SAPUTO - SATURDAY 5PM ET
TV: TSN

MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME:
"The 401 Derby"

FACTS* AND STATS**
MONTREAL IMPACT
- Nick De Santis has become the first Italian name to ever leave Montreal Impact involuntarily.
- 7.5: Gallons of leftover cheese brine used to irrigate the Stade Saputo pitch. Fermental!
- A "Dilly Duka" has become the hottest gherkin-based side dish to a Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich.
- 3: Puppets used on the Quebecois kids' show "Jacques, Macques & L'Ernie"
- There is a 50% chance that the Impact's 2014 season is just a very elaborate Just For Laughs Gag.
- 14: Weeks before Frank Klopas must clean out his office.
- Futty Danso is only 17% as fun as he sounds.

TORONTO FC
- Reds' newcomer Warren Creavalle will be pressed into action by Ryan Nelsen because "his last name sounds a bit Frenchy and stuff".
- The club is keeping the existence of infamous Montreal nightspot "Club Super Sexe" a secret from Jermain Defoe until after the match.
- 3: Number of TFC fans who still consider Issey Nakajima-Farran's trade as #inhumane
- Dominic Oduro has publically expressed his relief that he wasn't dealt to Montreal as shaving a provolone ball into his hair would have been "too weird".
- Before settling on Bitchy the Hawk, TFC considered an expensive transfer that would have brought the St-Hubert Chicken to Toronto to defend BMO Field from seagulls. Saucy!
- 18: Other MLS clubs who would chew off their arm to have Michael Bradley in their line-up so stop being crazy when he has an off-night.
- Gilberto has been frustrated in both of Canada's official languages.


*Maybe
**Possibly

Filibusted

D.C. UNITED VS. TORONTO FC
RFK STADIUM

Due to technical difficulties/those fat cats down in the capital, THE MATCHUP did not appear prior to this match. The Yorkies apologize for this indiscretion and have written a terse letter to all applicable MP's, MPP's, Senators, House Members, Whigs, Politburos, policy wonks and both right-wing and socialist lobbyists to rectify this misdeed. Regular programming will return tomorrow.

We are The Yorkies and we approve this message.

TOO LATE TO BE "THE MATCHUP"

MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME:
"The Crack Mayor Derby"

A few facts* and stats** we missed pre-match:
- Washington D.C. and Toronto shared this year's United Nations prize for "Big Dumb City Most Likely to Re-Elect a Crackhead Mayor"
- 372: Number of matches worldwide today between a "United" and a plain old "FC"
- 1: Letter left off a D.C. United supporter’s tifo to make it awesomely read "CREAMING EAGLES"
- 18: Number of years D.C. has been rocking MLS' most righteous kit.


* Maybe; **Possibly

NOT NECESSARILY "AFTER 90"

FINAL SCORE: D.C. UNITED 3 - TORONTO FC 0

THE YORKIES' TFC MAN OF THE MATCH:
Too fugly. Everyone gets the goat.

THE STARTING 11: Wasted puns due to Sporting Kansas City's re-branding

Wait for it...

From a football league point of view, we think the re-branding job done by Saturday's opponent Sporting Kansas City was aces. Any time a MLS club shakes their former roller hockey nickname, an angel gets his wings. Looking at you Impact. That being said, the rainbow madness that was Kansas City Wiz/Wizards was always such a nice pun-filled bonus for blog hacks like us. Fixtures against the ex-Wiz now see great/awful punmeat like so go wasted...

11. "Reds hit tough spell"

10. "There's no plays like at home"

9. "Waste the rainbow!"

8. "A cauldron of sh*t"

7. "Up the Wizard's sleeve"

6. "You shall not pass! Or score!"

5. "Wiz all over us"

4. "S-Orr-cery" / "Orr-lock"

3. "MLSE finds pot of gold... under beer stand"

2. "Bumbledorks"

1. "Bored of the Rings"

THE SOUTH STAND REPORT : Toronto v Kansas City... Or this is gonna hurt bad, isn't it?

Typically these reports have a pinch of optimism.  Be it for Chad "The Chad" Barrett, Gilberto or even Nick Soolsma. It is a drive to find light in a perpetual shitstorm of regular performances.  And lately the reports have had equalish measure optimism and pessimism. I read that was "real journalism" somewhere.

But Sporting KC Wiz...  ugh.  I wish I had the patience to follow other sides closely to get a better understanding what makes them who they are, but Sporting KC Wiz seem to be relentless. Pick up underachieving and turn them into all-stars. amend then there's depth: Legoman Nielsen retires, and the new kid Gruenbaum is outstanding.  When RSL comes to town with injuries, I think "we got me!  3 points!".  Sporting Kansas City Wiz could show up with a B side and I'd be hopeful for a draw.

It'll all be over soon enough I suspect. As long as it doesn't rain.

8' - Oduro lays a pretty ball along the ground in front of goal but no one there.  Ensuing corner finds Hagglund's head but sails just over the bar.

16' - GOAL - Ball slotted through to find Jackson just on side, dances around Gruenbaum and buries it.
ROBINS 1, COMETS 0

22' - well that was an 8 second flurry.  Gilberto gets hauled down 2 yards outside the box, no call. Toronto picks up the ball quickly and Oduro puts another pretty low ball onto a lunging Hagglund who rifles off the post.  While agonizing over the near goal,  Oduro still hands on head, misses the rebound as it's rolling just behind him.   A Vine would have been easier.

32' - YELLOW - Jackson gets booked for retaliation on a tackle, clearly testing out the double standard.

33' - Oduro slides it into the post.   That's two.

34' - YELLOW - Morrow gets booked for a challenge.  Gotta protect the camps I guess, right Unkle Ted?

44' - YELLOW - Oduro for something

45' - YELLOW - Henry for wearing red.

Half Time Mood : not too bad

47' - GOAL - Zusi left wide left of goal,  gets the ball and puts it past Bendik.
ROBINS 1, COMETS 1
60' - Gilberto gets the ball on the right,  crosses to the opposite side to find Jackson whose first touch is right at Gruenbaum. Big rebound but no second attempt.

66' - Jackson should be on pace for a hat trick at this point as at the doorstep he pops the ball over the bar 2 yards out.

69'- inconsistent officiating as Oduro gets shirt tugged from behind.  Only a yellow.

72' - YELLOW - Bradley gets booked for a terrible non-call on Jackson and goes off on the idiot in Yellow.

80' - GOAL -  Goddamn Jacob Peterson
ROBINS 1, COMETS 2

80' -  SUB -  Osorio in for Warner

82' -  SUB - DeRo in for Orr.  Guess we're going for it...

89' - Bradley has a go from the edge of the box and fires it just wide.

5 mins of extra time

90+2 - Oduro in a long cross can get his foot on it as it goes wide.

FULL TIME : TORONTO 1, KANSAS CITY 2

Man of the Match : Jackson had a helluva match.  Should've had a pile but to no avail.

Goat of the Game : Ted Unkle (see below)

Ref Rating : 1 out of 5.  Ted was terrible.  Like Toledo terrible.  He gets a 1 as someone on Kansas City earned a second yellow which is shocking all things considered. No one is ever going to confuse the level of officiating in this league for world class.

Kit Spotting : a couple of Olympiakos kits.

I Am Not The Gaffer But... : I'd get another forward for the bench.

If You PVR'd It : watch the first goal and then catch up to the first card to watch the embarrassment unfold.

I gotta give it up to Nelson, he went for it as soon as they went down one.  Converted to a 3-5-2 and all out attack.  Far from flawless execution but it is what it is.

Toronto earned a point and arguably the win. It was a shame that the ref had such an adverse effect on the game.  Sure Oduro and Jackson could have had their goals with the opportunities presented to the but it doesn't change how the ref's bias and inconsistent foul calling can mess with a teams head.  We were certain Nelson was at the very least going to be booked by the end of the match as he was losing his shit before the half.

I would like to know what the solution is for the officials' low quality of output.  I want the refs to have respect for their ability to call a match.  The officials formed a union to earn them better wages, which I'm all for.  Can the league not loan them out to other leagues?  Bundesliga 3 and we'll pay the refs for 2 months of training,  instruction and game experience?  Scotland division 1? Blue Square?  Anywhere?  The league needs to fix this.  Either import talent or export training.

Fun fact : you can get into the ground with a PDF on your smart phone. Confirmed it can be done.  Brilliant.

Player Ratings : Bendik 6.5, Hagglund 6.5, Orr 6 [De Rosario N/A], Henry 7, Morrow 6, Jackson 7, Warner 6 [Osorio N/A], Bradley 6, Oduro 7, Moore 6.5, Gilberto 6.5

@ignirtoq felt like he was on an emotional rollercoaster, between ticket drama, having KC on the ropes and the seeing Peterson bag the winner, so unfair.  To make it worse, there were plans afoot to debut some new kits of our own that would have surely got some dirty looks.  Maybe next season as they'll arrive on Monday.

THE MATCHUP: Waste the Rainbow

TORONTO VS. SPORTING KC
BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 7PM ET
TV: TSN 2

MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME:
"The Wizard's Sleeve"

FACTS* & STATS**
TORONTO FC
- 2: Number of eyeballs used by Michael Bradley to give opponent withering, emasculating stare down.
- 93% of Toronto-area Benfica supporters have an irrational hatred of Sporting KC.
- 3,212: Amount of scarves still "held up high" during national anthems.
- 68% of things are still Mo Johnston's fault.
- Saturday's match is also "Soviet Union Heritage Night" just to get on Jacob Peterson's tits.
- 50% of clubs in this fixture remember Preki fondly.
- 28: Approximate number of "Wiz", "Wizards" or "rainbow" mentions in our post-match report. Dependable.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY
- 2nd Place in the East Sporting KC have played 43 more matches than TFC so far this season. Games in hand.
- 830,000: Amount of unwanted yellow "Livestrong" rubber bracelets buried under Sporting Park.
- Aurelien Collin is a full 5/8ths more annoying than your garden variety Frenchman.
- 110%: How American Jacob Peterson is.
- Sal Zizzo leads the league in the "Player Who Should Open a Pizzeria after Retirement" category.
- 14: Fluid ounces vomited on the pitch this season by Igor Juliao. Gross.
- Sporting manager Peter Vermes has once again been handed the prestigious "Coach with a Name you Expect to Hear on a Creepy TV News Story" by his peers.

　
*Maybe
**Possibly

THE SOUTH STAND REPORT - Toronto v Tottenham... or Robins v Your London EPL Club

Ah, it's a good thing we made that trade today. Sure we weren't gonna get De Marcus Beasley but we did get Warren Creavalle and I hear he should make it in time for this all important friendly.  I read that his flight was delayed, so maybe he can make it in the second half.  *fingers crossed*

This was your typical exhibition fare : kids and bench get a run out and super try for everything, visitors just screw with us effortlessly and not run up the score too much.  Eric Lamella bagged two identical goals, which I've been told, is a special sight as he's (a) Spurs record signing and (b) was injured for most of the year.  Tourists up 2-0 at the half.

Second half, I'm not exactly sure what happened.  Either Spurs new substitutes took them lightly or Toronto's new subs started playing with creativity (probably the prior), as Lovitz sent Weideman through and bagged a nice goal with sublime composure. Later in the half, Jordan Hamilton bagged one of his own with a brilliant strike from the edge of the box. One of those two will likely move on to a career in real estate some day.  Creavalle no showed.  [He was never expected to make it. ~ Ed.]

Spurs were having none of that, shifted into (what had to be their) 2nd gear, maybe 3rd, and with 5 minutes remaining, Andros Townsend undoes poor Hagglund, and rockets it past Quillan Roberts.  Top marks and it looks like he does it all the time.

FULL TIME : TORONTO 2, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3

Money grab or not (it is), the one thing I like to take away from these international friendlies (aside from the obligatory half and half scarves) is to get a glimpse to the gulf of quality between TFC and whomever our opponent is.  Spurs were out there for a kick-about and made Toronto look pedestrian, and I'm very OK with that.

We, as footie supporters, are subjected to satellite TV (or dodgy internet feeds) and get to watch world class club football.  We know it's better, but we rarely have a measure of by how much exactly.  I don't know if we need to do this annually, and by the success of the gate, there should be one next year, but every couple of years is good.  It's nice to be reminded that, even though we signed all of these players that have drastically improved the calibre of football in Toronto, it's still nowhere near we'd like it to be. And to be fair, there isn't enough talent to go around 18+ clubs in the US to ever close up that gulf.

Understanding how the tourists are, and a large portion of the season's ticket base is, I understand that the following suggestion would be deemed "unfavourable" : I would like to propose that every year we have an exhibition against lower league teams.  Could be De Grafshaap, Shimizu S-Pulse, Lucern, Perth Glory... it doesn't matter.  The game should be a meaningful measure as to where the club and the league actually sits in relation to the rest of the planet, as meaningful as an exhibition can be.  I'd be far more interested to see how this side plays against the champions of Finland, a side we could defeat (in theory) rather than Spurs, a team who should slap us around like we deserve it.

If the club and the league were as talented as they are financially successful and well supported, MLS would truly be a destination league and Seattle would be a top 20 world club.  But it's not, we're not.  Not yet.

Then, at least, it wouldn't feel so gratuitously commercial.

Kit Spotting People Who Got A Soccer Shirt As a Gift Once and Are Wearing It Today : Arsenal away,  Liverpool home,  Newcastle home, father and son home Reading, more than one Blackburn home,  Manchester United home, West Ham home and away, Villa home, Everton home, old Man City away.  It was odd, but I get it.

Real Kit Spotting - Guy down in front wearing Sporting KC (confirmed he was here for the weekend game, came early to watch the exhibition).  Big ups to him for travelling. This kid who showed up in a Junior kit is close.

THE STARTING 11: Ways TFC can make the Spurs friendly more entertaining

Definitely not this fun



We have banged on for years here about our dislike for mid-season friendlies. We still think they are money-grabbing, energy-wasting injury magnets but we have always understood your attendance if your childhood club was the opponent. (So mail your letters calling me a hypocrite to "P.O. Box: I Don't Give A Toss"). As many of you know I'm a born Spurs supporter but I totally get that this match will end up bordering on naptime for those not Lilywhite and/or a fan of TFC's B-Squad. Not to fear though, TFC has plenty of entertainment lined up to keep you nice and friendly...

11. The Aaron Lennon Eyebrow Shaving Booth

10. An emotional halftime presentation where corporate sister club Tottenham Hotspur agree to help move the Toronto Argonauts... to the Emirates Stadium

9. Roberto Soldado vs. Gilberto "First-to-Five-Goal Challenge"! (Time Limit: 7 hours)

8. Tim Leiweke and Daniel Levy chase a hundred dollar bill on a string around the pitch

7. Kids get to hunt for prizes in Benoit Assou-Ekotto's hair

6. Sandro vs. Jackson face-off for the title of "World's Angriest Brazilian"

5. The pre-match parade of the two clubs' combined 58 managers from the last 20 years

4. The two teams to sit in a sharing circle and talk smack about Thierry Henry

3. Chas 'n' Drake

2. Bitchy vs. a Fighting Cockerel

1. Winner keeps Defoe

AFTER 90: Playing brawl

The blurst of times...

HOUSTON VS. TORONTO
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM

2014 is a season of new beginnings for TFC and we felt it was time to put a sad page in Reds' history to bed. With that in mind, we invited "The Escobar 3"... Miguel Aceval, Luis Silva and Nick Soolsma - TFC's notorious Houston nightclub scuffle arrestees - back to watch this match with us at a Texan bar to prove that those negative times are all in the past and they are on the straight and narrow. Luis Silva still has a job in this league so he couldn't be here. But the other two are hardly out curing cancer... so on to the match!

FIRST HALF:
1' - TFC are looking to make it two in a row in seven days against Dynamo tonight. Miguel Aceval is looking to make it two shots of Jägermeister in a row in seven seconds tonight... and yes.
5' - Reds looking sharp to start. Nick Soolsma keeps disappearing to the men's room.
11' - GOAL: HOUSTON - Bradley Orr with a sweet touch and soft pass to set up... Houston's Will Bruin. Brainfartage of the highest degree. Miguel Aceval still thinks Bradley Orr "is the shit, dude" because he can handle himself at a bar.
HOUSTON 1 - TORONTO 0
15' - Soolsma's back at the table. Asks us if "we wanna party?", Aceval says "does the pope shit in the woods?" and Soolsma reaches into his Euro-style man bag... and brings out his pet kitty-cat "Suarez". Aceval yells "Pusss-ayyy!"
17' - Joe Bendik doing the Super Pickle routine as he stops Brad Davis point blank.
18' - GOAL: TORONTO - On the impending counter attack, Gilberto ends up on the receiving end of the direct passing, slices through Dynamo's defence and slots past Tally Hall.
HOUSTON 1 - TORONTO 1
27' - GOAL: HOUSTON - Giles Barnes takes a look at TFC's makeshift defence, has a giggle, and takes a big blast which flies past Joe Bendik.
HOUSTON 2 - TORONTO 1
29' - PENALTY: This one is coo coo for cocoa puffs as Luke Moore is hauled down in the box. Michael Bradley confidently steps up to take it... and hits the post. Nick Soolsma just fell off his barstool. He wasn't watching the game or anything though.
35' - Uh oh. Trouble brewing here as Nick Soolsma changed the jukebox from country and western to Aqua's "Barbie Girl". Lots of angry looks. Aceval's shirt is suddenly half unbuttoned.
40' - Dynamo happy to take their chances with a series of dangerous long-distance shots at Bendik.
44' - Miguel Aceval just told the room he "has to go let a Chilean miner escape" before going to the bathroom.
45'+ - GOAL: TORONTO - Luke Moore with a lovely run into Houston's box and a sharp pass across goal that bounces off a shocked Dominic Oduro who may have been thinking about pizza.
HOUSTON 2 - TORONTO 2

HALFTIME: HOUSTON 2 - TORONTO 2

SECOND HALF:
46' - You have no idea how much these two can consume in 15 minutes. Frightening. Soolsma is having an argument about the pros and cons of declawing with a pinball machine.
50' - Luke Moore having his best match in a TFC kit.
55' - Suarez Soolsma just killed the buzz by talking about Feline AIDS
64' - SUB: Gilberto OFF / Jermain Defoe ON
64' - Aceval does a shot for the substitution. We weren't playing any game like that.
67' - Dynamo throwing the kitchen sink at TFC.
68' - Line cook came out to complain that Nick Soolsma is throwing up in the kitchen sink.
70' - SUB: Jonathan Osorio OFF / Dan Lovitz ON
70' - Aceval just bought everyone in the bar a shot. Now he just asked the cat if he has any money. Shit.
72' - Neither side look content to hold out for a draw tonight.
73' - Nick Soolsma is trying desperately to call Luis Silva on a pay phone. Sadly he's talking into a napkin holder.
75' - SUB: Luke Moore OFF / Dwayne De Rosario ON
76' - Bendik with another massive save. If his distribution was as consistent as his shot blocking he'd be considered one of the league's best.
80' - Aww crap - someone has called the cops! NO MIGUEL DON'T TRY TO RUN!
83' - Defoe and Warren Creavalle go a bit handbags but cooler heads prevail.
88' - All kicking off now as Defoe and David Horst roll about and scrap. Defoe's yellow meaning he misses next match but can play 90 minutes against Spurs.. Conspiracy line to the left please.
89' - All kicking off here at the bar as Suarez Soolsma just hissed at the cops! Why is Nicky riding Aceval's shoulders!!! No!!!
90'+ - Well that was all a bit nutso of an ending. And no, I mean the wackiness at the stadium. A scrappy, shooting gallery with a bit of everything. TFC could have won as equally as they could have lost so another point in a very tough environment is ok in the grand scheme of things. Meanwhile back at the bar...
90'++ - "SOMEBODY CALL JULIAN B. GUZMAN!!!"
　

FULL TIME: HOUSTON 2 - TORONTO 2

PLAYER RATINGS: Joe Bendik 7.5 / Nick Hagglund 6.5 / Bradley Orr 5.5 / Doneil Henry 6 / Justin Morrow 6 / Dominic Oduro 6.5 / Michael Bradley 6.5 / Collen Warner 6 / Jonathan Osorio 6 (Dan Lovitz 5.5) / Luke Moore 7.5 (Dwayne De Rosario 5.5) / Gilberto 7 (Jermain Defoe 6)

THE YORKIES' TFC MAN OF THE MATCH:
Joe Bendik



THE MATCHUP: Orange is the New Onyx: Season 2

HOUSTON VS. TORONTO
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM - SATURDAY 9PM ET
TV: SPORTSNET 360

MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME:
"Copa Del Escobar"

FACTS* & STATS**
HOUSTON DYNAMO
- In the previous fixture against Toronto, Houston forward Brad Davis had 98% possession of the ball in the first 20 minutes.
- Giles Barnes and Tally Hall lead MLS in "Sounding Like Wealthy Country Gentlemen"
- 38% of all league defenders claim to suffer from "Temporary Orange Blindness" after a Dynamo counter-attack.
- Contrary to internet rumours, Will Bruin is not in fact half-bear cub. Wild.
- 98: Percentage of arguments won by Dynamo co-owner Oscar De La Hoya at MLS Board meetings after he cracks his knuckles dramatically.
- BBQ Sauce-related injuries have dropped by 7% at BBVA Compass Stadium since 2013.
- In the off-season, Dynamo forward Omar Cummings hosts a weekly cable-access current events show in his native Jamaica called "Cummings & Goings"

TORONTO FC
- TFC's "onyx" alternate kit could reach 63 Degrees Celsius in the Texas sun.
- Ex-TFC defender Miguel Aceval is listed as "Day-To-Day" in regards to appearing at Houston nightspot Club Escobar.
- 180: The SPF level in the suntan lotion TFC medical staff apply liberally to team albino Kyle Bekker.
- 10% of all Houston-area jail bonds are posted by a "Julian B. Guzman"
- 23: Former kit number of ex-TFC winger Alvaro Rey and also the same amount of minutes he spent in Columbus, Ohio before begging Crew to release him.
- 9: Average number of times Andrew Wiedeman dramatically takes of his designer sunglasses in the press box over 90 minutes.
- 88: Level of Candy Crush that Steven Caldwell is stuck on. Sweet.

　
*Maybe
**Possibly

THE SOUTH STAND REPORT - Toronto v Vancouver... Or thanks for the 8pm kick off schedule dicks

Well the later than usual kickoff on a very nice summer night blended with the incredible Saturday night game gave us the hope of three points tonight, but that was not the case.

Vancouver scored early in the second half on a counter in the 50th minute. Teibert put a wonderful ball through four red shirts, and Mattocks buried it from 6 yds out.

Toronto controlled much of the match, and were rewarded with a fairly soft penalty as Jackson went down to a Reo-Coker challenge just inside the box.  Defoe converted in the 63rd minute.

All the hard work could not get them any more than one point however.  Gilberto may be resuming service of near misses as for the second game in a row, the ball bent around the outside of the woodwork.  Not fair for the guy.

FULL TIME : TORONTO 1, VANCOUVER 1

Man of the Match : Collen Warner played very well throughout the match.

Goat of the Game : The idiot who couldn't delay the closure of Lakeshore for 2 more hours.  Well planned Mr. City person. It's not like either event was scheduled for months in advance? (same for you Johnny Schedulemaker)

Ref Rating : 3 out of 5.  Didn't effect the match either side.

Player Ratings : Bendik 6, Bloom 6 [Hagglund N/A], Orr 6.5, Henry 6.5, Morrow 6, Jackson 6.5 [Gilberto N/A], Bradley 6, Warner 7, Osorio 6 [Oduro N/A], Moore 6, Defoe 6.5

@ignirtoq would like to apologize for the lack of a more detailed post however he took a spill on his way to the ground and wasn't up to being Mr. Reporter Guy. He also likes making names up for people based on the jobs they apparently have.

THE MATCHUP: Night Caps

An evening with Carl...

 

TORONTO VS. VANCOUVER
BMO FIELD - WEDNESDAY 8PM ET
TV: TSN

MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME:
"The Great Canadian Bagel"

MATCH FACTS* & STATS**
TORONTO FC
- Despite being third in the Eastern Conference, TFC have an alarming 35 games in hand over 2nd place Sporting Kansas City.
- Dominic Oduro averaging 8.7 slices of pepperoni pizza a week since move from Columbus, down from 2013.
- Ryan Nelsen is five wins from becoming TFC's all-time winningest manager. No, really.
- Gilberto has the same number of goals in his last two appearances as his national side of Brazil does. Prolific.
- Jermain Defoe leads the league in touches. Mostly bum and boob.
- The Reds are 7-5-2 all-time during night matches where the temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius and the other team has a manager with a strange hairline.
- It is Micronesian Heritage Night in one row of BMO Field this Wednesday.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
- Vancouver is coming into Toronto off of a home loss to Chivas USA. Just let that one sink in for a moment.
- Carl Robinson has a pre-match ritual vs. TFC which includes both smirking and snorting in Jim Brennan's direction.
- Despite lack of concrete proof, it has been accepted that Caps midfielder Pedro Morales is NOT the same Pedro Morales from 1980's WWF wrestling. Disappointing.
- Darren Mattocks currently leads MLS in "Looking Like an Effeminate Version of Predator", a category he has dominated since 2012. Reliable.
- More than 50% of Matias Laba's completed passes still legally belong to TFC.
- "Lenarduzzi'd" has been added to the 2015 Webster's Dictionary.
- 43% of Caps supporters will be high by the 20th minute.

*Maybe
**Possibly



THE STARTING 11: Signs that you are already suffering World Cup withdrawal

That could totally work on the TTC

 

It's over! We thought it was something special but you just got up and packed your bags. Well... it was a great month... we'll always have Rio. Yes, the FIFA travelling road show/circus of corruption that is the World Cup has torn down their gold and diamond-encrusted tents leaving us waiting for four long years and a reunion in Russia. Breaking up is always hard to do though and here are some tell-tale signs that you aren't handling the lack of World Cup action well...

11. You refer to spending hours getting drunk in a pub as a "mandatory cooling break"

10. Preparing to switch your nether region grooming from a "Brazilian" to whatever a "Russian" may be

9. Angering your girlfriend by constantly trying to get her to wear really tight Colombian kits

8. Your Facebook status is: "Questionable (Groin)"

7. You invite a confused elderly man over for dinner just to remind you of Roy Hodgson

6. Your friends all roll their eyes behind your back when you pretend to suddenly know everything about the country of Costa Rica

5. You spray paint your loafers gold just to give yourself a sense of achievement

4. You keep getting kicked out of Starbucks for biting the person in line ahead of you

3. Keep trying to get extra space on the subway by putting a line of shaving cream down in front of you

2. You got fired for constantly asking co-workers to swap shirts with you at the end of the work day

1. You added an umlaut to your name



THE SOUTH STAND REPORT : Toronto v Houston... Or Is There No Place Like Home?

DC was disappointing but they were quality (Hamid being Hamid).  But this is Houston, league leaders in losses, let's see what we can get out of this match. Gilberto appears to be in game shape so maybe if we're all well behaved, Uncle Ryan will give us some 4-3-3!

The line up is out.  Guess we're not behaved...  4-4-2.

Onto the match:

13' -  GOAL -  Davis left wide open on the right side leaving Bendik out to dry.   Bottom right corner.
ROBINS 0, CREAMSICLES 1

18' - Clark for Houston has streaks in his hair that makes it look like a bike helmet. Ha.

28' - Defoe free kick from the edge of the box forces Hall to top palm the ball over the bar

29' -  GOAL - Davis wide on the right, slides the ball under Bendik.
ROBINS 0, CREAMSICLES 2

34' - Yellow #1 to Houston

39' - GOAL - defoe pops a ball over his mark and it's bobbled by Hall,  leaving Osorio to clean up the mess and bury it.
ROBINS 1, CREAMSICLES 2

44' -  GOAL - Defoe lays off a ball to Oduro.  First shot stopped but picks up his own rebound and buried it.  The villiagers go bananas.
ROBINS 2, CREAMSICLES 2

Half time mood: beyond thrilled

56' - Yellow #5 to Houston 

58' - SUB - Oduro off for Lovitz

59' - Yellow #6 to Houston

59' - Free kick from Lovitz finds Caldwell who just heads it over the bar

63' - GOAL- Defoe streaks into the box on an angle and nutmegs Hall.
ROBINS 3, CREAMSICLES 2
65' -  Barnes beats Caldwell on the wing with no one to beat but Bendik. Puts it past him and the far post. Bullet dodged.  Caldwell limps off hurt.

68' -  SUB - Orr in for Caldwell

68' - Lovitz breaks in on a counter and instead of shooting,  cuts in to beat a defender and loses the ball.

73'- Houston floated cross into the box headed toward goal but grabbed at the line by Bendik.

80' - SUB - Moore comes off and Gilberto comes in

84' - Gilberto streaks down the right has a go and beats Hall but not the left post.  Didn't miss by much.

86' - Oh.  Clark is wearing a helmet.  Part of the Petr Cech collection I guess. Now I feel stupid. I blame the far away seats we have...

89' - GOAL - Oh we're on dream street! Defoe collects a blown back pass from 35 yards out (maybe, I can't remember) and breaks in one on one with Hall.  First shot is mostly stopped, but the rebound gets buried.
ROBINS 4, CREAMSICLES 2

3 minutes of extra time

FULL TIME : TORONTO 4, HOUSTON 2

In game prediction : Tonight's game question was how many cards will Toledo hand out without going over!  And I won by doubly accurately predicting 6 cards and all yellow!  Boom!  Genius.

@kzknowles 7, @RedWineRoz 4, @DuncanDFletcher 5 (3 yellow, 2 red specifically), @ignirtoq 6 (all yellow), Dom 4, @jonarthur's son 9

Man of the Match : Defoe.  2 goals, 2 assists

Goat of the Game : Whoever the player was supposed to mark Hall.  You know what... nevermind.  No one.  #bliss

Ref Rating : 3 out of 5.  In Toledo-terms, this is as flawless as he can possibly be.

Kit Spotting : I'm going to give it to the woman in the Eintracht Frankfurt away kit.  I'm not going to give it to the two people in the crowd with US Men's National Team AstroPop kits.

I Am Not the Gaffer But... : I'm glad today I wasn't because someone would've been subbed after the second goal.

In Case You PVR'd It : Watch it all.   It was a classic.  Show your kids.

What can be said other than the resilience was staggering. If you ever waivered that this club has yet to turn into a juggernaut or whatever this monster of a team is, this was a glimpse of what can be.  Never quit, Defoe was a major factor in all the goals, they fixed their problems before the half was over.  Understanding that this could all come undone on Wednesday, but we witnessed the future and it is glorious. (/hyperbole)

Player Ratings : Bendik 6.5, Bloom 6, Caldwell 6 [Orr N/A], Henry 6.5, Morrow 6, Oduro 7.5 [Lovitz N/A], Warner, Osorio 7, Jackson 6.5, Defoe 9.5, Moore 6 [Gilberto N/A]

@ignirtoq lost the classic quote that Dom had about how the ref hasn't screwed up the match and it's far too late to go and wrangle up the exact verbage, but just know it was classic and he deeply regrets losing it.

THE MATCHUP: Orange is the New Onyx

TORONTO VS. HOUSTON
BMO FIELD: SATURDAY 7PM ET
TV: SPORTSNET 360

Our regular match preview has been pre-empted by this modern art piece which highlights all of our favourite examples of Dynamo that exist in the football world...
 

THE STARTING 11: Rejected alternatives to World Cup penalty shootouts

Hey, we know that dude!

 

There really isn't a more heartbreaking way to go home from the World Cup than by being on the losing end of a penalty shootout. Years of qualifying, training, preparation and group stage victories can all be cut short by a goalkeeper's glove or the wide shot of a nervous kick-taker. However, matches can't go on forever and a deciding competition must exist. While the penalty shootout survives for now, word is that FIFA had polled some of the qualified nations for the current World Cup to find out how they would like a stalemate match decided.

11. SWITZERLAND: Sudden-death fondue party

10. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: First team with the word "and" in their name advances

9. NIGERIA: First team to send a spam email from a "prince" wins

8. ENGLAND: Team with most 1966 World Cup victories moves on

7. URUGUAY: "Who can eat a defender fastest?" competition

6. RUSSIA: Loser gets annexed

5. FRANCE: Most devastating existential crisis is forlornly victorious

4. GREECE: Last team to score wins

3. USA: Guns

2. GERMANY: Most umlauts wins

1. BRAZIL: Wax Off!



THE SOUTH COUCH REPORT : Toronto v D.C.... or stuck on a couch in Burlington

(I'm sure it's) A nice evening out at the park.  The sun is shining (apparently).  And a good crowd is there for some footie (thanks to the stream). This is the first time I have been unable to make a game due to GO Transit cancelling a train.  In all fairness, my friend and I headed back to his place,  watched the shootout with the wives,  and then missed the next train (if it came which I assume it didn't).

Toronto is coming off a draw against Chicago and are up against the somehow the first place DC United.  Seriously when did that happen?

The nice part is, even if the game is crap, we can always play "try to make the 4 month old daughter Olivia laugh".

Onto the match!

13' - it doesn't wook wike DC is vewwy good? No it doesn't.  Wuis Silwa used to pway for Towonto but now he's a baaaaad gwuy.

28' - Orr pokes through to Morrow who threads a ball into the box and just misses a sliding Defoe.

36' - who's that with the ball? Is it Bradley? Is it Bradley? Yes it is!  Uh-yes it is!

44' - My coochie-coochie-coo is just killing it right now.

HALF TIME MOOD : they are first place? Really?

45' -  SUB - Oduro on for Orr

54' - GOAL -  Nick DeLeon undressed Hagglund, loses Warner then pops it past Bendik.  Good goal.  Baby Olivia makes a frowny face. I see why they're in first now.
ROBINS 0, DIVIDED 1

60' - GOAL - Jackson to a deep Defoe, lays it back to Jackson who fires, stopped by Hamid but poached by Moore and giggles all around.
ROBINS 1, DIVIDED 1

60' -  SUB - Osorio on for Bradley

64' - Osorio has the ball.  PEEK-A-BOO!  Now he doesn't!

68' - GOAL -  Cross comes in for a Perry Kitchen  header, down past Bendik. Bad marker.  Bad.
ROBINS 1, DIVIDED 2

60' -  SUB - Lovitz on for Jackson

73' - Baby can roll over onto her tummy, but cannot beat the roll over on to her back.


86' - YELLOW - Hagglund hauls down Johnson from behind on a break and gets lucky with not being sent off

No wait...

88' - RED - Nevermind. Ref corrected it.  Hagglund is off. 

5 mins of extra time

90+1 - Who's got my pinky finger?  Who's got my pinky finger?  Olivia does!

90+5 - Looping ball from Moore at the death has Lovitz flying on the wing to rocket it toward goal only to be stopped by Hamid. Fantastic everything here.

FULL TIME : TORONTO 1, D.C. 2

Man of the Match : Bill Hamid, actually.  He played very well.  Moore was a bit of a terror tho, wasn't he?

Goat of the Game : Hagglund not for the card, but for a bit of a howler in defending the first goal.  I was a close second as my nom-nom on baby's tummy made her cry, so that's on me.

Ref Rating : 5 out of 5. I appreciate any official who will correct their mistakes immediately (even if it's against Toronto) instead of handing out a revenge card AND he let the game roll at the end which made for a great finish.

I Am Not The Gaffer But... : I would've woken the little one from her nap earlier.  She'll be awake later than usual.

Kit Spotting : I was TOLD someone was in a Darlington 1883 kit, but I wasn't there.  Even after I suggested that a photo be sent.

If You PVR'd It : The whole game was rather engaging.  Just let it run from start to finish.  It's no Netherlands v Costa Rica, but quality.

Player Ratings : Bendik 6, Bloom 6.5, Caldwell 6.5, Hagglund 5.5, Morrow 6, Jackson 6 [Lovitz N/A], Bradley 6.5 [Osorio N/A] , Warner 6, Orr 6.5 [Oduro 6], Moore 7, Defoe 6.5

@ignirtoq was disappointed not to be there in person, but shit happens.  And to be fair, the game wasn't crap, but this kid is sooooo cute.  She's got big blue eyes and monkey ears.  It was a struggle to watch the game and her be so happy. 

THE MATCHUP: Taxi for Luis

TORONTO FC VS. D.C. UNITED
BMO FIELD - SATURDAY 7PM ET
TV: TSN 2

We admit it. Sometimes during these stretches of the season where the matches come thick and heavy, time gets the best of us and our hard-hitting, award-winning* journalism suffers. But not to fear fellow Eff Cee supporters, thanks to the internet machine we have sourced some quality scouting reports about D.C. and laced it with our own award-winning** facts and statistics.

Here then (via Wikipedia) is the plot outline of Hollywood blockbuster "D.C. Cab" with important TFC information added for your match preview requirements...

PLOT SUMMARY
Naive but good natured young man Luis Silva arrives in Washington, D.C. with plans to work for Ben Olsen, manager of the run-down District of Columbia (D.C.) Cab Company. Aware of the sorry state of his business and from the competition from the popular Nationals Cab Company and Wizards Cars, Olsen wants to clean it up, as well as build a new home, but doesn't have the financial means to do so. Complicating matters is the motley group of cab drivers that he has working for him. They all see driving as a dead end job while they wait for better lives in the Western Conference, until Luis inspires them to work as a team.

A valuable Open Cup Trophy is found in one of the cabs earning Olsen and his wife a $10,000 reward as owners of the cab. Olsen wants to share the money with the drivers and let them invest in the cab company as partners. However, his greedy wife Kevindra Payne picks up the reward money and tosses Olsen and Luis' belongings out of the house and tells them to "get used to it". The cabbies are not happy about losing their share of the reward, and Luis decides to donate $6,063 of his own allocation money to the cab company and convinces the drivers to stay and make something of the company and themselves. The cabbies completely overhaul the entire business and the revitalized company soon supplants Nationals Cab as the most popular in the city.

Later on, the cabbies work together to rescue Luis and a Washington Diplomat's two children after they're kidnapped. The movie ends with a parade in DC Cab's honor. And then a late goal against Toronto FC to snatch a draw.
　

*No actual certified awards
** "Participant"Awards made by family count, right?

THE SOUTH COUCH REPORT : Chicago v Toronto... or Watching It In Case There Is Another Fight

The weather is perfect tonight.  The  new digs have a theatre in the basement and [Stop bragging.  ~Ed.] 

We kinda previewed this on the Vocal Minority Podcast.  So listen to it and absorb what I said.   Man this couch is so comfy [Seriously.  Stop bragging.  ~Ed.] 

Chicago hasn't exactly picked up where they left off.  Magee isn't lighting it up,  but ex-Robin Amarikwa somehow has. 

Looks like it's raining.  Bummer.  

Onto the match:

5' - I hope the Canadian teams are never offered kits with flag imprints in the numbers.  Unless it's with the civic flag.  That would be sweet. 

28' - RED - well that's a bit of crap.  Newly subbed out of my fantasy team Luke Moore goes up for a header with elbows up and clocks Ritter hard.  Replay showed no intent to injure. Yellow in my books but not a ref. 

41' -  I think I understand what Caldwell was doing with that diving header but it still was ugly and gave Amarikwa a half chance at net.  Nothing came of it. 

42' - GOAL - Defoe down the wing floats a ball into the box and finds an unmarked Jackson to head it down into the net.
WATER 0, ROBINS 1

45+2 - Caldwell takes a boot to the face from an Amarikwa bicycle kick attempt and gets a yellow. Inconsistent much ref? 

Half Time Mood : not too shabby being a man down. 

51' - Caldwell passes back to Bendik whose attempt to clear it shanks it behind himself for a corner. 

53' -  YELLOW - Caldwell keeps his arms out like an airplane to block a cross. 

54' -  ensuing free kick has Magee launch one that Bendik parries away. 

56' - GOAL - Shipp cuts into the box and fires which defects slightly off of Warner and Bendik gets a hand to it,  but not enough to prevent it going in.

WATER 1, ROBINS 1

72' -  Sumare offside as he pops it past Bendik. No goal. 

83' - Bendik bails out a great attempt from Chicago as the ball is played through low and Magee puts the slightest touch,  forcing a save from the redirected ball. 

86' -  so Oduro takes a mid air deliberate elbow to the head and that's only a yellow.  I see what's going on here... 

86' - SUB - Orr comes in for Osorio 

3 minutes of extra time

90+2' - Chicago corner sees Bendik punch it out.  Counter attack into the Fire half has Oduro launch a ball that the keeper just tips over for a Toronto corner.   Not bad effort. 

Full Time : CHICAGO 1, TORONTO 1

Man of the Match : Bendik was the difference between a point and no points

Goat of the Game : none. 

Ref Rating : 2 out of 5. take one off for the red, and one off for each of the non-reds for Chicago's dangerous challenges. 

I Am Not The Gaffer But... : maybe a sub earlier or at the end to run down the clock. 

If You PVR'd It : watch the red card at the 23rd minute,  then fast forward to the 40th and let it run.

Player Ratings : Bendik 7.5, Bloom 6.5, Caldwell 7, Hagglund 7, Morrow 6.5, Oduro 6, Warner 6, Osorio 6 [Orr N/A] , Jackson 6.5, Moore N/A, Defoe 6.5